Snow plow and conveyer



April 27 1926. I

F. M. POLHAMUS SNOWPLOW AND CONVEYER Filed July 30, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 A .579 z y flr7amvzys F. M. POLHAMUS SNOWPLOW AND CONVEYER April 27, 1926. 4 1,582,875.

N Fg led July 30, 1925 4 gheetsheet 5 MENTOR don/M )h-r sss a r flrrozlvzys Patented Apr. 27, 1926.

UNITED STATES PATENT, orrics.

FRED M. POLHAM'US, OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO ANNA B. GRAHAM AND GUY M. POLHAMUS, BOTH OF SYRACUSE, NEW YORK.

SNOW PLOW AND CONVEYEB.

Application filed. July 30, 1925. Serial No. 47,034.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRED M. POLHAMUS, citizen of the United States of America, of Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New Yorlg-have invented new and useful Improvements in Snow Flows and Conveyers of which the following,

taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description. V r

This invention relates to a combined snow plow and conveyor attachment for 7 motor vehicles and involves the use of a supplemental truck having a relatively fixed frame adapted to be rigidly secured to the front end of the chassis frame of the vehicle, and a relatively movable frameextending forwardly from the front end of the fixed frame and hinged thereto to swing vert cally, the front end of the hinged frame being provided with a suitable plow blade adapted to be adjusted in more or less close proximity to the surface of the pavement or road bed for removing the snow therefrom as the machine is propelled forwardly.

llhe hinged plow supporting frame carries an endless conveyer inclining upwardly and rearwardly from the plow blade to a position directly over the front end of the fixed frame for conveying the snow removed by the plow upwardly and rearwardly on to a endless cross conveyer on the fixed frame and thence on to an additional endess conveyer extending upwardly and laterally from a plane below one end of the cross conveyor for the purpose of conveying the snow deposited thereon by the cross conveyer some distance to one side of the road bed out of the way of traffic along the road.

The main object is to provide a snow plow and conveyer attachment of this char acter which may be applied to standard makes of motor cars without material alteration thereof so that the motive power used in propelling the cars may be applied to the operation of the snow plow and conveyors.

-ne h r ie i orro id asy t in of o eye 's rranged in such manner th t-the.

snowremovedby the plow will be elevated from the road bed and carr ed toone side,

er a h machine is propelled forwardly.

machine in line with the cross conveyer and also to prov de for the vertical adjustment thereof to different angles so as to permit the snow to be discharged therefrom at different heights and at different distances relatively to the road bed as may be required according to the depth of the snow at the sides of the road.

A further object is to provide suitable means for transmitting motion from the engine shaft to the several conveyers and for controlling the operation of said conveyers independently of the controllers for the operation of the motor vehicle.

Other objects and uses relating to specific parts of the apparatus will be brought out in the following description.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan of a combined snow plow and conveyer attachment ready to be applied to a motor vehicle, portions of the latter being shown by dotted lines, portions of-the rear ends of the relatively fixed frame of the attachment and controller being broken away;

Figure 2' is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the same-attachment taken on line 2-2, Figure 1.

Figure 8 is an enlarged transverse vertical sectional view taken on line 33, F igure 1.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectionalview taken in the plane of line 47-4, Figure 2, the front portion of the swinging frame and conveye'r supported thereby being broken away.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood I have shown a portion of the front end of an automobile chassis frame consisting of the front axle A carr ing the usual steering wheels and steering knuckles bwhich latter are provided with the usual crank arms b connected bythe usual connecting rod l3, thelatter being provided with thecustomary operating rod B' for turning the wheels up n their respec i e knuc e f rst er 111g purposes,-

Portions of the sills of the chassis frame are also shown by dotted lines-in Figres-l ends an toge er with the front a. s A- constit te the means fo1' -s1'1 port 1'1g he ativelvfined f a eof h ombined pew on ys?- a tachment;

As illustrated, this relatively fixed frame comprises a pair of side bars or rails -1- preferably of angle iron extending forwardly and rearwardly of the machine in parallel transversely spaced relation so as to extend rearwardly beyond the front ends of the sills C to which they are clamped by means of bolts "2*- and clamping blocks 3- which are interposed between the outer faces of the sills C and adjacent portions of the rails -1 as shown more clearly in Figure l.

The frame bar -1- on the right hand side of the machine is provided with a rearward extension -lcarrying a notched segment 55 and a lever -(3- as a part of the mechanism for raising and lowering the front end of the plow supporting frame hereinafter described.

Additional cross bars S are rigidly secured to and between the lengthwise bars -1 in parallel spaced relation between the axle -A and front cross bar 7 for additionally bracing the side rails l and also forming convenient bearings for a series of, in this instance, three lengthwise shafts 9, and 10 which are journaled in said cross bars -8- in parallel spaced relation, the shaft 9 being sub stantially coaxial with and directly connected to the crank shaft S of the motor vehicle, said crank shaft being shown by dotted lines in Figure The other two shafts 10 and l0 are located equal distances from and at opposite sides of the central shaft 9 for purposes presently described.

The front end of the relatively lined frame of the attachment is yieldingly supported by a pair of elliptical springs l1- upon a supplemental axle 12 carrying a pair of steering wheels 13 which are connected to the ends of the axle 12 by suitable steering knuckles 1el, Figures 3 and 4.

These steering knuckles are provided with suitable crank arms 15 connected by a rod -16- for simultaneous operation of the steering wheels -l3-, one of said knuckles preferably the one on the left hand side of the machine, Figure l, being provided with an additional crank arm 15 which is connected by a forwardly extending rod -16- to a supplemental crank arm -16 on the crank arm Z2 of the steering knuckle for the steering wheel a of the corresponding side of the machine whereby when the steering wheels Z) of the machine are operated for steering purposes similar angular movement will be transmitted to the steering wheels --l for the frame of the attachment.

An upright frame 1'?'- is rigidly 1nounted upon the horizontal frame bars l and cross bar 7- and-is provided with longitudinally spaced side walls -18 and verrasasvs tically spaced horizontal partitions -19 and E30 extending transversely of the machine to form suitable guides for a transversely extending endless conveyer 21.

A pair of shafts 22+ are journaled in suitable bearings in opposite sides of the upright frame between partitions 19 and and are provided with sprocket wheels -23 for receiving and driving the endless conveyor belt 21, one side of which travels along and upon the upper face of the partition l9- while the opposite side travels along and upon the lower'partition 20.

One end of each of the shafts -22 is provided with a pair of additional sprocket wheels 24- and '2 the sprocket wheels 2al being connected by link belts 25 and 25 to sprocket wheels 26 and 26 on their respective shafts 10 and 10.

As previously stated the central shaft 9-, Figure 4:, is driven by the crank shaft S of the engine and is provided with a pinion 28 meshing with a relatively larger gear 29 which is loosely mounted upon a cross shaft 30, the latter being journaled in suitable bearings 3l on the frame of the attachment as shown more clearly in Figures 3 and 4.

A vertically movable frame of triangular form in side elevation is pivotally 4 connected at 33 to the center and ends of the front of the rail or bar 7 to extend forwardly therefrom in front of the upright frame 17 for receiving and supporting a plow blade 34- and an endless conveyor 35.

A cross shaft -36 is journaled in suitable bearings 37- on the underside of the front portion of the frame 32 and is provided with a pair of depending casters -38 adapted to ride upon the surface of the road bed for supporting the front end of the plow frame, said shaft being also provided with upwardly extending crank arms 39- which are connected by rearwardly extending links 4l0 to additional crank arms al on a rock shaft -42 the latter being journaled in suitable bearings on the lower portion of the rear end of the frame 32.

This rock shaft 42 is provided with an additional crank arm -'l3 which is connected by a link 44 to the hand lever 6 on the rear end of the extension lof the adjacent side rail -1, Figure 2, whereby the movement of the lever -6 along the segment 5 will rock the casters --38- about the axis of the rock shaft 36- for adjusting the front end of the plow frame 32 vertically about the axis of the pivots 33 and thereby regulating the nosition of the plow blade relatively to theroad surface;

The plow frame 32 extends laterally equal distances beyond the side rails 1- and longitudinal center of the machine and is provided along its opposite sides with upstanding flanges 32 for confining the snow picked up by the plow blade 3 lwithin the limits of the width of the frame and also for concentrating the snow'upon the upper side of the conveyor belt The plow blade -3 l is substantially flat and extends from side to side of the frame between the flanges ei-" and UL s rves to lift and deflect the snow upwardly as the machine is propelled forwardly.

The conveyer belt 35 extends laterally nearly the full width of the distance between the flanges 3:2 with just suliicient clearance at the sides to avoid excessive friction with said flanges and also extends upwardly and rearwardly in an inclined plane from a point in proximity to the rear edge of the blade 34. to the rear end of the frame 32 and has its upper side supported by a transverse guide plate l5- which extends laterally from side to side of and between the flanges -32 and is preferably secured thereto and to portions of the frame 32.

The upper rear portion of the conveyor belt -35 is carried by sprocket wheels 6 which are secured to a cross shaft l7- on the upper rear portion of the frame 32.

The opposite ends of the shaft are provided with sprocket wheels %8, Figure 1, connected by link belts l9 to additional sprocket wheels on the opposite ends of the shaft 30- as shown in Figure l whereby the rotation of the shaft 30- will transmit rotary motion to the shaft i'. and conveyer belt The lower front end of this conveyor belt is mounted upon suitable sprocket wheels 5lon a shaft 52- which is journaled in suitable bearings in the opposite sides of the lower front end of the frame 3n adjacent the rear edge of the plow blade 3 l.

As previously stated the gear 29, Figures 3 and l, is loosely mounted upon the shaft 30 but is provided with a clutch face adapted to be engaged by a clutch member -C9 which splined on the shaft 530* for c :ial movement into and out of engagement with the clutch gear Q9-.

An upi ht shifting lever 53 has its and 7, Figures 2 and 3, the rock shaft 58 being provided with an upwardly extending offset handle 58 by which it may be rocked in its bearings for shifting the clutch 29 into and out of engagement with the clutch gear 29.

It is now evident that when the clutch 29- is engaged with the clutch gear 29, rotary motion will be transmitted from the engine driven shaft 9- to the counter shaft 30- and that this rotation of the shaft -8() will transmit rotary motion to the conveyor belt through the medium of the linlr belts l9 so that when the machine is bropellcd forwardly the plow blade will pick up the snow from the pavement or road bed and deflect it upon the upper side of the conveyor belt which in turn will carry the snow upwardly and rearwardly and deposit it upon the upper surface of the cross belt conveyor -21.

Gross belt conveyor.

The cross conveyer belt 2l extends equal distances from and at opposite sides of the center of the machine and slightly beyond the opposite sides of the primary conveyor 35 for receiving the snow deposited thereon by the primary conveyor and discharging the snow at one side or the other of the road bed.

That is provision is nade for driving this cross conveyor in either direction and for this purpose a pair of gears -60 and 60- are loosely mounted upon the center shaft 30 at opposite sides of the gear 29-- and its clutch 29 with their bevel teeth facing each other and engaged respectively with pinions -(ll and -6l on their respective shafts -10 and -10.

These gears 60 and 60 are provided on their inner ends with clutch teeth adapted to be engaged by clutch collars -62 and 6:2-, both of which are splined upon tle shaft -450- for axial movementinto and out of engagementwith their respeotive gears -60 and 60-.

Suitable shifting levers 63 and 63 similar to the shifting lever -53 are arranged in upri ht positions at opposite sides of said levers and have their upper ends pivoted at 6el and (i4='- to suitable cross bars -65 and --S5 on the upright frame 1? as shown in Figure 3, the lower ends of said levers being engaged in annular grooves in their respective clutch collars and 2- for shifting the latter into and out of engagement with their respective clutch gears tl0- and 60 as the lever and --63- are rocked in rev d e directions. The intermediate portions of thei'e levers -63 and (l3 are connected by links an V IOU

66 and -66 to suitable crank arms -67-- and 67- on their respective rock shafts 6S and 68- which are journaled in suitable hearings in the brackets 59-, said rock shafts 68 and -68' being provided with offset handles 69- and 69 by Wl'llCll they may be operated.

As previously explained the sprocket wheels 26 and 26 on the shafts 10 and 10 are connected by separate link belts and 25- to additional sprocket wheels on the rear ends of the sprockets shafts 22 carrying the cross conveyor 2l.

It is now clear that if it is desired to discharge the snow from the cross conveyer to the left hand side of the machine the rock shaft 6S will be operated by means of its handle 69-- to shift the corrt-espondi11g clutch 62- into engagement with its clutch gear -60 whereby motion will be transmitted from the engine driven shaft to the left hand sprocket shaft '22-, Figure 3, through the medium of the corresponding link belt 25 thereby moving the upper side of the conveyor belt --21 in the direction indicated by arrow 83, Figure 3.

On the other hand, if it is desired to discharge the snow from the cross conveyor belt to the right hand side of the machine the rock shaft 68 will be operated to shift its corresponding clutch 62 into engagement with the clutch gear after the clutch --62 has been released whereby motion will be transmitted from the shaft 30 to the right hand sprocket shaft --22-, Figure 3, to move the upper side of the conveyer belt 2i-- in the direction indicated by arrow -g in case the snow is excessively deep or banked at the side of the road it is necessary to provide means for conveying the snow discharged by the horizontal conveyer 21 to a greater height and at a further distance from the road bed and for this purpose is provided a vertically movable side frame carrying an additional conveyor belt -?1- and suitable sprocket shafts 72 shown in Figures 1 and 3.

The frame 70 is pivoted near one end 73- to the adjacent side of the upright frame 1? at a point some distance below the adjacent end of the cross conveyer belt -2-, said frame -i"0 and conveyor -'?l being adjustable vertically to differnt angles about the axis of the pivot 78 and is held in its adjusted positions by stay chains or cables -7 l which are attached at one end to the frame '70 and are adapted to engage suitable anchor hooks -75 on the upper end of the adjacent side of the upright frame -17 as shown in Figures 1 and 3.

The frame -7=O may be hinged to either side of the upright frame 17 according to the direction of movement of the upper side of too cross conveyor belt and for this purpose each side of the upright frame 17 is provided at its upper end with the hooks 75 for receiving the chain -7 i.

The sprocket shafts -72 are journaled in suitable bearings on opposite ends of the frame 'i"() which is provided with a guide plate 76 along and upon which the up per side of the belt is adapted to travel and together with the side flanges as -77 of the frame 'TO constitutes a guide chute through which the snow is carried by the i l he conveyor 7 1-. lbs side conveyer l-- and its supporting frame -70 are shown as mounted upon th left hand side of the machine and in order that it may be used at either side of tie machine the sprocket shafts 22 are Jvided with additional sprocket wheels and -2 l while the lower sprocket the side conveyer 7lis vided at its opposite ends with sprocket i) wheels 78 and 2t either of which is adapted to be connected by a chain belt 80 to one of the sprocket wheels 2-t or 24: according to the side of the machine at which a supplementai conveyer '1 is placed or according to the direction of movement of the conveyer belt 21.

Operation.

ii hen the attachment is properly adjusted V for use upon the front end of a motor vehicle in the manner described for use in reinovino snow from the road surface the front end or the engine shaft S will be in clutch engagement with the rear end of the driven shaft so that when the engine is operated it will transmit rotary motion to the gear 29- and by shifting the clutch -2 into engagement with said gear the rotary motion will be transmitted to the shaft -30- for operating the conveyer belt 35- in the direction indicated by arrow .e, Figure 2.

Now, if the machine is propelled along the road bed under its own power the front end of the frame 32 may be adjusted into more or less close relation to the surface of the road bed by the angular adjustment of the casters -38 about the axis of their supporting shaft -38, this adjustment being effected by the adjustment of the lever -6 along the segment 5 and looking it to said segment in its adjusted position by any suitable means provided on the lever.

As the machine continues to move along the road bed the snow will be picked up by the plow blade 3 l and deflected therefrom on to the lower end of the conveyer 35- which in turn will carry the snow upwardly and rearwardly and discharge it e-sass? upon the upper face of the cross conveyer 91 Then if eft hand side of the link carry the snow cross belt 2l upwardly and laterally for dischargin the same a further distance to or side of the road bed i l. In a combi rod i w plow and conveyor attachment for motor vehicles, an attaoln ment frame having means for securing it to he front end of the chassisframe of the vehicle so as to extend forwardly therefrom, a shaft journaled on said frame in alignment with the crank shaft of the engine and provided with means for coupling it to said crank shaft, a conveyor belt mounted on the frame and movable transversely of said Left, a supplemental frame hinged to the rent end of the attaching frame to swing .ertically andhaving its front end provided with plow de, a conveyor belt mounted on the supplemental frame for vertical movement therewith and having an independent movement longitudinally of the frame for receiving the snow from the plow blade and discharging it on to the transversely movin convey-er, means for transmitting motion from the engine driven shaft to both of said conveyors.

2. A combined snow plow and conveyor attachment for motor vehicles as in claim 1, in which means operable at will is provided for rocking the supplemental frame for its pivot.

3. A combined snow plow and conveyor attachment for motor vehicles as in claim 1, in which a rock shaft is journaled in suitable bearings on the underside of the supplemental frame and is provided with casters for engagement with the pavement, and means for rocking said shaft and casters thereon angularly for raising and lowering the front end of the supplemental frame about the axis of its hinge connection with the attaching frame.

4. In a combined snow plow and conveyor attachment for motor vehicles, an attachment frame having means for securing it to the front end of the chassis frame of the vehicle so as to extend forwardly therefrom, a shaft journaled on said frame in alignment with the crank shaft of the engine and provided with means for coupling it to said crank shaft, a cross shaft journaled on the frame, clutch controlled means for transmitting motion from the engine driven shaft to the cross shaft anl separate clutch controlled devices actuated by the cross sha for transmitting motion to the conveyor be, and for reversing the direction of such motion,

55 in a combined plow and conveyor attachment for motor vehicles, an attachment frame having means for sec iring it to the front end of the chassis frame of the vehicle so asto extend forwardly therefrom,

a shaft journaled on said frame in alignment with the crank shaft of the engine 4 provided with means for coupling it to sai on .irshaft, cross shaft j iirnaled on the e, clutch controlle for -tion from the engine ross shaft and sepa f d devices actuated by the "nsmitting motion to the conveyor belt sing the direction of such mo lemental frame hinged to t e of the attaching fra to swn v icall an )rovidcd y o having its front or i with a plow blade, a conveyor belt mounted on the supolem al frame and inclined upwardly c wardly from its forward for transmitting motion to the second named conveyer loci 6. In, a combined snow plow and conveyer attachn'ient for motor vehicles, an at tachment frame having means for securing it to the front end of the chassis frame of the vehicle so as to extend forwardly therefrom, a shaft journaled on said frame in alignment with the crank shaft of the engine and provided with means for couplingit to said crank shaft, a cross shaft journaled on the frame, clutch controlled means for transmitting motion from the engine driven shaft to the cross shaft and separate clutch con trolled devices actuated by the cross shaft for transmitting motion to the conveyor belt and for reversing the direction of such mo tion, a side frame adapted to be hinged to either side of the attaching frame for vertical adjustment to different angles, means for holding the side frame in its adjusted posi- 7 tion, aconveyer belt mounted on the side frame to receive snow from the first-named conveyor, and means for transmitting motion from the first-named conveyor belt to the second-named conveyor belt.

7. In a combined snow plow and conveyer attachment for motor vehicles, an attaching frame having means for securing it to the front end of the chassis frame of the vehicle, an engine driven shaft journaled on the attaching frame'in alignment with the crank shaft of the engine and provided with means for driving connection with said crank shaft, a cross shaft journaled on the attaching frame, clutch controlled means for transmitting motion from the engine driven shaft to the cross shaft, additional shafts jonrnaled on the frame a opposite sides of and parallel with the engine driven shaft, separate clutch controlled devices for tran n'iitting motion from the cross shaft to said additional shafts, a supplemental frame hinged to the front end of the attaching frame to swing vertically and having its front end provided with a plow blade, an endless conveyor lfiC't fed on the supplemental frame to move lengthwise of the attaching frame, means for transmitting motion from the cross shaft to said conveyer, an additional conreyer mounted on the attacln ing frame to move transversely thereof at the rear of the first-named conveyor for receiving snow therefrom and separate devices for transmitting motion from said additional shaft to the transversely moving conveyor.

8. in a combined snow plot: and conveyor attachment for motor vehicles, an attaching; frame having means for securing it to the front end of the chassis frame of the vehicle, an engine driven shaft journaled on the attaching frame in alignment with the crank shaft of the engine and provided with means for driving connection with said crank shaft, a cross shaft jonrnaled on the attaching frame, clutch controlled means for transmitting motion from the engine driven shaft to the cross shaft, additional shafts iona" i the f opposite sides of and parallel With the engine driven shaft, separate clutch controlled devices for transmitting motion from the cross shaft to said additional shafts, a supplemental frame hinged to the front end of the attachi frame to swing vertically and having its front end provided with a plow blade, an endless conveyor mounted on the supplemental frame to move lengthwise of the a'taching frame, means for transmitting motion from the cross shaft to said con veyer, an additional conveyor mounted on the attaching frame to move transveiely thereof at the rear of the first-named conveyor for receiving snow therefrom it separate devices for transmitting motion from said additional shaftto the transversely moving conveyer, a third conveyer extendlateraily from one side of the secondc-d conveyor for receiving snow therefrom, and means for transmitting motion from the second-named conveyer to the tan-d conveyor.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set 11 y hand "this 16th day of July, 1925.

FRED M. POLHAMUS. 

